The present invention relates generally to remote control devices for use in controlling the operation of televisions, videocassette recorders, stereo systems or other types of consumer electronic equipment, and more particularly to techniques for generating device orientation information using such remote control devices.
Remote control devices are commonly used to control televisions and other types of consumer electronics equipment. It is generally desirable that the remote control device be configured in such a manner that it provides efficient user control of equipment parameters such as volume level, channel selection, etc. However, conventional remote control devices are deficient in this respect. For example, although the most commonly-used functions on a typical television remote control are volume control and channel selection, a user nonetheless has to depress a button each and every time an adjustment in one of these parameters is needed. As a result, a user may be constantly depressing the buttons for these functions, which is not only a source of inconvenience and annoyance for the user, but can also lead to repetitive stress injury.
In addition, it is often difficult for a user to locate the appropriate command buttons, particularly in a darkened room or other poorly-lighted environment. Although conventional remotes use certain button shapes to distinguish different types of controls, e.g., up and down arrow button shapes for volume or channel up and down commands, respectively, a user still must exert some effort to locate the appropriate buttons, and there remains an unacceptably high likelihood that the wrong function may be inadvertently executed.
A number of conventional techniques exist for detecting the orientation of a remote control device. Such techniques allow a user to alter the orientation of the device in order, e.g., to control the position of a cursor on a corresponding television display. Examples of such techniques are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,745,402 and 4,796,019, and in U.K. Patent Application No. GB/2,295,707. These techniques generally detect the orientation of the remote control device by processing in a corresponding receiver infrared signals received from multiple light-emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted on the device. The amplitude and phase of the received infrared signals are indicative of the orientation of the remote control device.
Unfortunately, these and other conventional techniques fail to provide an acceptable solution to the above-noted problems associated with manual button control of commonly-used remote control functions.
A need therefore exists for improved remote control devices which are capable of generating commands or other information in a manner which is more convenient for the user.
The invention provides an improved remote control device in which a direction of device movement is detected within the device and utilized to determine entry of a particular command for a function such as volume control or channel selection. In accordance with the invention, a remote control device includes a motion detection circuit operative to generate signals indicative of a direction of movement of the remote control device. A processor receives the signals from the motion detection circuit and generates corresponding control signals suitable for transmission to a receiver. A user is thereby able to indicate entry of particular commands by moving the remote control device in a certain way.
In an illustrative embodiment of the invention, movement of the remote control device in a particular direction in a first plane may correspond to an up command for a first controlled parameter, e.g., receiver volume, while movement of the remote control device in an opposite direction in the first plane corresponds to a down command for the first controlled parameter. Similarly, movement of the remote control in a particular direction in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane may correspond to an up command for a second controlled parameter, e.g., channel selection, while movement of the remote control device in an opposite direction in the second plane corresponds to a down command for the second controlled parameter.
In accordance with the invention, the motion detection circuit may comprise a plurality of stress-sensitive resistive elements, each corresponding to a particular direction of potential movement of the remote control device, and each providing a detectable indication of a position of the remote control device with respect to its corresponding direction. For example, the motion detection circuit may include a set of four of the stress-sensitive resistive elements, with each of the four stress-sensitive resistive elements arranged on a particular side of a ball-shaped weight supported therebetween, such that varying the position of the remote control device causes different amounts of stress to be applied to at least a subset of the stress-sensitive resistive elements. Associated with each of the stress-sensitive resistive elements is a meter or other measuring device operative to measure, e.g., a current through the corresponding resistive element, or other type of signal indicative of a direction of movement of the remote control device.
Advantageously, the invention allows a user to enter commands for commonly-used functions such as volume control and channel selection without the need for manual button depression. As a result, the invention eliminates the previously-described problems of button location and potential repetitive stress injury, and also provides a more efficient and natural manner for a user to interact with the controlled equipment. These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description.